It’s come to this: White House aides now accusing Bergdahl’s squad of “swift-boating” him

posted at 11:21 am on June 4, 2014 by Allahpundit

Via the Weekly Standard. “Swift-boating,” as you may recall, is when critics tell the truth about someone’s military service when the truth is unhelpful to Democrats. Consider this the beginning of phase three of the Bergdahl fallout. Phase one was when soldiers from Bergdahl’s unit caught the White House off-guard by publicly accusing him of desertion. Team O probably thought the combination of nondisclosure agreements that they were forced to sign and the prospect of retaliation if they made life hard for the Pentagon would keep them quiet. That was the key misjudgment from which everything else over the past three days has flowed.

Phase two was the White House desperately searching for someone, anyone, from Bergdahl’s unit who’d stand up in front of the media and vouch for his character. That’s happening entirely out of public view, but rest assured, it’s happening. The fact that they’ve come up with nothing so far speaks volumes about how uniform opinion is within Bergdahl’s old squad about him and his motives. If Team O could produce just one witness willing to face the cameras and argue that Bergdahl was a good soldier who was probably taken against his will, it’d plant enough doubt in casual observers’ minds that this whole thing might be reduced to a he said/she said matter for many — even though there are at least six veterans already who’ve come forward to support the desertion theory. But they can’t find anyone to do it. It’s been a complete barrage of anti-Bergdahl witnesses on cable news since Monday morning. The State Department is so bereft of third-party support that they were forced last night to tell reporters to trust Bergdahl himself over his squad mates, as if a repatriated deserter wouldn’t have an incentive to lie about why he went missing upon his return.

So now, phase three: Start discrediting the soldiers who’ve accused him. It’ll have to be done subtly and tactfully. If they go dumpster-diving on these guys for things like substance-abuse problems or financial trouble, the nastiness of it might backfire on the White House and make their Bergdahl problem even worse. Babbling about “swift-boating” is a good way to get the ball rolling, at least among liberals who are grasping for ways to defend Obama and have come up empty thus far. “Swift-boating” implies that the vets who’ve accused Bergdahl have some political motivation in doing so; it’s of a piece with that BuzzFeed story yesterday hyperventilating about Republican Ric Grenell helping Bergdahl’s comrades get in touch with media outlets. The point is to suggest that this is some sort of dirty trick, maybe even invented whole cloth by nefarious conservatives to wound the president, rather than a bunch of guys who’ve spent five years boiling inside because their friends got killed on patrol searching for Bergdahl finally choosing to come clean. To protect a guy who allegedly served dishonorably, the White House and the left now have no choice but to go after the honorable ones.

Any predictions on what the next bit of oppo is, or who the target will be? I think Evan Buetow’s interview with Tapper yesterday was the most damaging to the White House so far. Hope you don’t have any unpaid parking tickets, buddy.

Breaking on Hot Air

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

“Swiftboating” is where people recollect decades later how a teammember was derelict. These guys have been saying Bowe deserted almost since day 1. Big difference, especially since no politics were involved until oboobi made it so years later

Earlier this morning, the DOJ announced it was opening an investigation into charges of war crimes committed by the crews of the “Enola Gay” and “Bocks Car”, the name of the B-29 bombers that dropped atomic weapons over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

The arrogance and ignorance of this administration is staggering. This is a fight that it simply can’t win. There is no institution in the country more trusted and respected than the military. Its members, both past and present, are – rightly – given a special place in society. The WH doesn’t even come close in commanding the respect and honour that most Americans still give to the lowliest of soldiers.

These people were there – on the ground – at the time – and they know what happened.

Kerry: ‘President Nixon secretly sent me to Cambodia during Christmas of 1968.’

Fact: Nixon was NOT POTUS in December, 1968.

Bergdahl: ‘I was captured when I lagged behind on patrol.’

Fact: There was NO patrol that evening and it is incontrovertible that he walked away from his post, according to the 2010 Pentagon report. Incontrovertible.

If Team O could produce just one witness willing to face the cameras and argue that Bergdahl was a good soldier who was probably taken against his will, it’d plant enough doubt in casual observers’ minds

they can always use the strawman theroy, “there are people out there who”

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Three women were found dead at home in a working-class Mexican-American enclave on the edge of Fort Worth’s city limits with their throats slit, family members of the victims say.

After leaving Vets waiting to die in the VA Scandal, now the WH is attacking military members who HAVE served with honor for telling the truth and telling about how this traitor deserted his unit / country – even wrote a letter declaring what he was doing, taught our enemies bomb-making techniques (aiding and abetting the enemy who were killing our troops), converted to Islamic Extremism, and openly condemned and aided in negative propoganda against his own country.

Obama ILLEGALLY / CRIMINALLY released the ‘Taliban Dream Team’, wanted for U.N. War Crimes, in exchange for a deserter / traitor / Islamic Extremist Convert…ya know, Obama’s kinda guy. Obama has wanted to close Gitmo and was stopped…so he is releasing them on his own (crime)…he wanted to make this swap 3 years ago and was denied – it was voted down – so he did himself (crime)…and now he is attacking and slandering honorable military members for telling the truth!

Any predictions on what the next bit of oppo is, or who the target will be?

If the White House was smart(I know, but just play along here), they’d admit they f’ed up bigtime and ignored the allegations about Bergdahl being a deserter, take the inevitable hit that Obama is disengaged and incompetent, and try to move on.

Going after American soldiers like this will backfire in a big way. If they had no qualms about violating their NDAs, rest assured they’ll fight back against this smear campaign. And others may be motivated to come forward as well.

The State Department is so bereft of third-party support that they were forced last night to tell reporters to trust Bergdahl himself over his squad mates, as if a repatriated deserter wouldn’t have an incentive to lie about why he went missing upon his return.

…the blonde bimbo spokesslut at State said Bergdahl himself can ‘recall better himself’…what happened on “that day” than everybody else!…of course…he can’t remember the English language!…I’m still trying to figure out why no one in the media… brought that up to her!

Going after American soldiers like this will backfire in a big way. If they had no qualms about violating their NDAs, rest assured they’ll fight back against this smear campaign. And others may be motivated to come forward as well.

Doughboy on June 4, 2014 at 11:35 AM

The military might also get fed up enough to just arrest this “president” who is stepping into treason.

The irony.
Look up what ‘swiftboating’ means.
They weren’t ‘right’.
Kerry, a privileged young man who could easily have avoided service, volunteered and sought to be placed in combat.
Seems even John McCain’s story is fodder for mockery for some on the right these days.

verbaluce on June 3, 2014 at 2:48 PM

“Swiftboating” was not lying, as much as you want everyone to think. They had a valid beef, with compelling evidence.

Buck Farky on June 3, 2014 at 3:06 PM

I do not agree.
But let’s just leave it at that.
No need to go all 2004 here.

The Bowe Bergdahl mess isn’t just a story about one deserter, but two. There’s the muddle-headed lowlife who left his post and brothers behind. And there’s the corrupt commander in chief who has jeopardized more American soldiers’ lives to “rescue” Bergdahl by bowing to the Taliban, while snubbing the surviving heroes and the eight dead American soldiers who lost their lives because of him. This cannot stand.

Team O probably thought the combination of nondisclosure agreements that they were forced to sign and the prospect of retaliation if they made life hard for the Pentagon would keep them quiet.

The NDA’s could only be enforced while in service. Once discharged, they can’t stick.

I assume the Admin/DOD/State never thought these guys would be smart enough to know the limits of an NDA, because up until Sunday a number of these cats were still fretting the blowback.

I think that’s where the Grenell piece stems from. Someone in his sphere would know what the NDA consisted of and let it be known they would win in court because they’re discharged. You can’t bind someone to an NDA when the situation at heart no longer exists.

Jake Tapper is the White House’s biggest problem here. He is after the truth on this story and won’t shut up about it. He’s on CNN now and neither he nor the network can be smeared as right-wing hacks.

I think the White House worried about blowback on the release of the Taliban guys and never even considered any possible blowback on Bergdahl himself. They’ve been caught flat-footed here and it’s going to be really hard for them to reverse the narrative. I gues you have to give them a E for Effort in throwing out the Swiftboating charge, but I don’t think it will stick.

Though the NYT does have a big writeup today trying to tear down the “6-8 men died looking for Bergdahl” story.

It wasn’t just that. The admin doesn’t understand the military culture. They think in military clichés.. “Don’t leave any man behind.” They didn’t understand that to military men and woman, the only thing more despicable than a traitor is a deserter, especially ones that caused the deaths of his brothers.

The Bowe Bergdahl mess isn’t just a story about one deserter, but two. There’s the muddle-headed lowlife who left his post and brothers behind. And there’s the corrupt commander in chief who has jeopardized more American soldiers’ lives to “rescue” Bergdahl by bowing to the Taliban, while snubbing the surviving heroes and the eight dead American soldiers who lost their lives because of him. This cannot stand.
redguy on June 4, 2014 at 11:41 AM

It wasn’t just that. The admin doesn’t understand the military culture. They think in military clichés.. “Don’t leave any man behind.” They didn’t understand that to military men and woman, the only thing more despicable than a traitor is a deserter, especially ones that caused the deaths of his brothers.

melle1228 on June 4, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Absolutely correct. But this was also another case of incompetence as well; by limiting knowledge and consultation on this deal the White House failed to get the feedback that Bergdahl is considered a deserter and his release might not be received so well by the military.

“Swift-boating,” as you may recall, is when critics tell the truth about someone’s military service when the truth is unhelpful to Democrats.

“Swift-boating” never quite congealed into the universally-recognized pejorative that Democrats and leftists succeeded in doing with “McCarthyism”* (or for that matter, “racisim”). Too many of us equate “swift-boating” with “truth-telling.” I noticed one tone-deaf troll experiencing the blowblack when she trotted out the term on one of the morning Bergdahl threads yesterday.

White House aides can look forward to the same, as honored American soldiers step forward to testify about the one they know who deserted.

Still digging that hole eh?
1) Good men died, others were gravely wounded while searching for a deserter.
2) Evil men were released and will soon rejoin the fight.

The American public will, for very sound reasons, believe the word of men that have NOTHING to gain, politically or otherwise, from lying about the events when Mr. Disillusioned took a hike. The American public will, for very sound reasons, not take kindly to the release of mass murderers and terrorists, particularly to a country that has no interest in keeping them from returning to the fight.

So now, phase three: Start discrediting the soldiers who’ve accused him. It’ll have to be done subtly and tactfully. If they go dumpster-diving on these guys for things like substance-abuse problems or financial trouble, the nastiness of it might backfire on the White House and make their Bergdahl problem even worse.

That’s phase 3-B. Of course, how well did that work for Jean Kerry in 2004?

Actually, I think it is rather understated. When I heard that woman say what she did, I nearly lost it. Believe me, I would be banned for eternity if I wrote what I honestly thought about that cucking funt.

Slightly off topic, but only slightly, it just occurred to me that Snowden must be kicking himself in the a$$ for exposing the NSA the way he did instead of just going AWOL while letting Greenwald do his bit and let Russia announce he’s there. Then he could wait a year or two, get Putin to negotiate with the O’Dimwits Administration for his return for something, and Obama would be doing a Rose Garden photo op and Susan Rice would be calling his work at NSA “honorable and distinguished”.

Yours, Lord Barack, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord Barack, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles Valerie 29:11 NIV BHOV

So now, phase three: Start discrediting the soldiers who’ve accused him. It’ll have to be done subtly and tactfully. If they go dumpster-diving on these guys for things like substance-abuse problems or financial trouble, the nastiness of it might backfire on the White House and make their Bergdahl problem even worse.
– Allah

Allah –
Colorful. But who is making an effort to discredit or denigrate these soldiers?
Do you consider mentioning (or as you call it, ‘hyperventilating over’) the mere fact there was/is an effort by GOP strategists to manage these guys?
But maybe Grenell & co were merely offering a lift to various news studios. Nothing more than ‘hey, you can use my cell phone for this interview if you like’.
How nice of them!
So aside from pointing to that, what terrible things are being said about this soldiers? And who is saying it?

(And you do know where to look if you want to hear terrible and awful things said about a US Soldier and his family, right?)